Staying safe online gets harder every year, especially as criminals find new ways to use technology against people. That is why this new cybersecurity awareness campaign from the UAE deserves real appreciation. Launched by the Ministry of Interior, with Dubai Police and the DESC, the campaign is called “UAE Safe Through Your Digital Awareness,” coinciding with Cybersecurity Awareness Month, observed every October.
What This Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Aims to Do
The goal of this cybersecurity awareness campaign is simple but important: helping people across different parts of society understand cybercrime risks, protect their personal data, and recognise practical ways to prevent criminals from accessing their accounts and information.
The announcement was made at the Dubai Police Officers Club, with senior officials from the Ministry of Interior, Dubai Police, DESC, and the Positive Spirit Council all taking part. Brigadier Saeed Mohammed Al Hajeri, Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigations at Dubai Police, explained that the initiative is designed to familiarise the public with the different methods used by fraudsters. His goal, in his own words, is refreshingly clear: “to reach zero victims of cyber gangs.”
How Criminals Are Misusing AI
Dubai Police has detected advanced uses of AI in fraud, phishing, data breaches, and deepfakes. Criminals are using the technology to:
- Create convincing fraudulent pages and advertisements
- Move illicit proceeds through multiple digital wallets to hide the money trail
- Produce professional-looking job advertisements to target job seekers
One particularly concerning trend involves fake job scams. Fraudsters use AI to create realistic employment offers, then ask victims to share access to their bank accounts or receive and transfer money as part of supposed remote work. These fake job scams can later be linked to fraud or money laundering, and victims may find themselves pulled into investigations even though they were genuinely deceived.
Stronger Tools to Detect Manipulated Video
To keep pace with these evolving threats, Dubai Police has enhanced its digital forensics laboratory, now capable of examining faces, voices, and video recordings to identify signs of AI manipulation. The lab, through its digital forensics work, can prepare detailed reports on AI misuse, including detecting deepfakes, and Dubai Police has also set up a specialised unit focused on emerging AI-related crimes.
The Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC) has also developed “Sarab,” an AI-powered tool that assesses whether video content has been manipulated. Encouragingly, this tool was built by UAE talent and made available as an open-source project, so other organisations and users can benefit from it too.
A Fight Measured in Minutes
Amer Sharaf, Executive Director of the Cybersecurity Systems and Services Sector at the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, explained that AI is now used by both attackers and defenders. While criminals use it to find and exploit vulnerabilities faster, security teams use it to monitor threats, anticipate attacks, and analyse huge volumes of data. He noted that some cyber incidents now require a response within minutes rather than days.
Reaching Millions Through Awareness
Brigadier Dr Abdulrahman Sharaf Al Maamari, Director of the Hemaya International Centre at Dubai Police, shared that more than 11 million people benefited from awareness initiatives last year, laying the groundwork this cybersecurity awareness campaign now builds on. Cybercrime and fraud made up around 60 per cent of awareness lectures, with plans to raise that figure to more than 80 per cent this year.
Al Maamari also highlighted the risks facing children, who can spend more than seven hours a day on tablets and other devices, which is why this campaign will also reach out to families, not just individual users.
Shared Responsibility, Shared Protection
Colonel Dr Engineer Ibrahim Humaid Al Miyahi, Director of the Digital Security Department at the Ministry of Interior, said the UAE has an advanced cybersecurity system, but protecting society still requires coordinated effort and genuine public participation. He encouraged people to report hacking incidents and blackmail rather than stay silent, and offered a few practical home security tips, including choosing reliable security cameras, considering installation locations carefully, and keeping related apps updated.
Why This Campaign Deserves Appreciation
This cybersecurity awareness campaign deserves appreciation for several reasons:
- It tackles a real, growing problem with clear, practical guidance
- It brings multiple government entities together in one coordinated effort
- It invests in genuine technical tools, like AI-powered deepfake detection
- It reaches families and children, not just adults or tech-savvy users
- It openly shares what it learns, including through an open-source detection tool
Conclusion
This cybersecurity awareness campaign reflects a genuinely thoughtful, well-coordinated response to a fast-moving problem. By combining public education with real technical tools and the cooperation of multiple government bodies, the UAE is giving residents practical ways to protect themselves against increasingly sophisticated scams.
If your organisation wants guidance on strengthening its approach to cybersecurity and AI safety, perhaps inspired by this cybersecurity awareness campaign, Horizontal8 is here to help. Reach out to Horizontal8 today, and let’s talk about building a safer digital presence together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UAE’s new cybersecurity awareness campaign called?Â
It is called “UAE Safe Through Your Digital Awareness,” launched by the Ministry of Interior with Dubai Police and the Dubai Electronic Security Centre.
How are criminals using AI in fake job scams?Â
Fraudsters use AI to create convincing job advertisements, then ask victims to share bank access or transfer money as part of fake remote work offers.
What tool has the Dubai Electronic Security Centre developed to fight deepfakes?Â
It developed “Sarab,” an AI-powered tool that detects manipulated video content, and made it available as an open-source project.
How many people benefited from cybersecurity awareness efforts last year?Â
More than 11 million people benefited from awareness initiatives and programmes run by Dubai Police last year.
What should someone do if they experience hacking or blackmail?Â
Authorities urge victims to report such incidents rather than stay silent, as failing to report can give offenders more opportunity to continue their activities.